An American Airlines flight from Dallas to Bozeman, Montana was diverted to Amarillo, Texas after a passenger assaulted a flight attendant and a police officer mid-flight. The incident occurred on Wednesday and resulted in the arrest of Keith Edward Fagiana, a 61-year-old man from Las Vegas. According to court documents, the flight crew declared a Level 2 threat after Fagiana punched the flight attendant multiple times following a complaint from another passenger about Fagiana violently kicking their chair.

The criminal complaint, filed in US District Court for the Northern District of Texas, states that Fagiana yelled expletives at the flight attendant who asked him to stop kicking the chair. He then proceeded to punch the flight attendant in the stomach four times. Other passengers intervened to restrain Fagiana, and the flight attendant used flex cuffs to secure him in a seat until police could take over upon landing.

Upon landing at Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport, Fagiana was escorted off the plane by police. However, he resisted arrest and kicked one of the Amarillo Airport Police Officers in the groin area while being handcuffed. He also spat on the officers. During a subsequent police interview, Fagiana admitted to fighting with the officers because he did not want to be arrested. He claimed to have no memory of the events that took place on the flight, stating that he had consumed “Captain Morgans” at various bars before boarding.

American Airlines released a statement expressing their commitment to working closely with law enforcement in their investigation and emphasizing that acts of violence are not tolerated. The flight eventually continued its journey to Bozeman after Fagiana was removed from the aircraft. It remains unclear whether Fagiana has obtained legal representation at this time.

Passenger Dazia Poland captured video footage of Fagiana being led off the flight. She reported that another passenger informed her that Fagiana had been spitting at people and banging his head against the window. The Association of Professional Flight Attendants condemned the assault, prioritizing the care of the affected crew member and calling for an end to such violent behavior.

The FBI and the FAA are currently investigating the incident. Ron McCallum, a pilot and aviation attorney not involved in the case, stated that the assault should be considered a felony under federal law. Felony convictions can result in severe fines, penalties, and lengthy jail time.